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2005 Chevrolet Impala

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

499 reports with mileage · 110 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 331 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports13 fire reports22 injury reports

Interior Lighting complaints

3 reports
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124,628 miles · May 19, 2014
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SECURITY SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM PARK. IT TOOK THE CONTACT BETWEEN 10-15 MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPAIRED THE IGNITION …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SECURITY SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM PARK. IT TOOK THE CONTACT BETWEEN 10-15 MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPAIRED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,628. UPDATED 8/28/14*CN UPDATED 09/8/2014 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10592466

52,000 miles · Apr 19, 2010
Exterior LightingInterior Lighting

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ALL OF THE VEHICLE LIGHTS (INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR) FAILED TO TURN ON WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN AND IT BECAME DARK. HE TRIED TO USE THE HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO TURN THEM ON MANUALLY. HE PU…

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TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, ALL OF THE VEHICLE LIGHTS (INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR) FAILED TO TURN ON WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN AND IT BECAME DARK. HE TRIED TO USE THE HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO TURN THEM ON MANUALLY. HE PULLED OVER AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE LIGHTS TURNED ON. IN APRIL 2010, WHILE DRIVING, THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF AGAIN. HE TRIED THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT WAS TOLD UNLESS HE COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEY COULD DO NOTHING TO ASSIST HIM. HE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,947. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

NHTSA ODI #10326386

101,250 miles · Dec 14, 2009
Electrical SystemInterior Lighting

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS WENT OUT. THEN I WAS WONDERING WHY EVERYBODY WAS GOING SO SLOW (45MPH) ON MY SPEEDOMETER. SO I PASSED THEM. I HAD A GPS AND TURNED IT ON IT WAS RECORDING 75MPH. IT WAS 20 MPH OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10295656

Official recalls

1

14V400000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 3, 2014

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.